Open Streets Pittsburgh will close some streets Downtown on Sunday morning

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Instead of cars, some Downtown streets will play host Sunday morning to yoga, Zumba, rock wall climbing and more.

The Open Streets Project will conduct its first activities in Pittsburgh. Founded in 2010, the project works with cities across North America to encourage temporary closures of roads so they can be used to promote outdoor activities such as exercising.

“The brilliant thing about Open Streets is it’s using infrastructure that’‍s already in place and just thinking about it differently,” said Mike Carroll, events coordinator for Bike Pittsburgh.

There have been more than 100 street closure and pedestrian activity events in North America, according to the Open Streets’ website.

In Pittsburgh, Mr. Carroll said the goal is to get people outside and active. By limiting traffic and setting up pedestrian-friendly activities, an event such as Open Streets Pittsburgh could introduce someone to salsa classes for the first time or encourage a person to ride her bike on the street.

The free event will keep Market Street to the Clemente Bridge open to pedestrians only from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday.

There will be classes and organized activities in Market Square, at the intersection of 6th Street and Penn Avenue and on the Clemente Bridge. The full schedule of events is here: openstreetspgh.com/​open_streets_2014_schedule.pdf

Bike Pittsburgh will lead the event with help from Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, cityLAB, Let’s Move Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, according to a news release. It has received funding from the Heinz Endowments and the Colcom Foundation.

Next year, Bike Pittsburgh hopes the city will be the location of three Open Streets events, Mr. Carroll said. He said dates, times and locations are still being determined.

Kaitlynn Riely: kriely@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1707. First Published July 17, 2014 12:00 AM

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